Temple No. 3, Konsenji Temple

The renowned monk Gyoki is said to have carved the main Buddha statue at this temple during the Tempyo era (729–749) on the orders of the Shomu Emperor, after which the temple was known as Konkomyoji. The name of the temple was changed to Konsen-ji (“Golden Spring Temple”) after Kobo Daishi visited the temple during the Konin era (810–824); during his visit, to relieve a drought that was affecting the area, Kobo Daishi dug a well, from which gushed forth a spring of golden-colored sacred water. Following a program of temple rebuilding initiated by the Kameyama Emperor (who had become a devout Buddhist), the formal name of the temple was changed to Kiko-zan (reflecting the Emperor’s name). In 1582, most of the temple buildings (excluding the Daishi-do hall) were burnt down by soldiers under the command of the warlord Motochika Chosokabe; the building that visitors see today date from after this destruction. The Konsen-ji is the third temple visited on the Shikoku 88-temple Pilgrimage. The temple is located around one kilometer from Itano Station on the JR Kotoku Line.